SB-257 • 2026

PARENT Act.

Crime Education

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor: Wahab
Last action: 2026-03-02
Official status: Veto sustained.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement penalties beyond stating that violations by health care service plans would be a crime.

PARENT Act

The PARENT Act makes pregnancy a triggering event allowing individuals to enroll in or change their health benefit plans.

What This Bill Does

Makes pregnancy a triggering event that allows someone to join or switch health benefit plans.
Requires health care service plans and disability insurers to allow enrollment or plan changes due to pregnancy.

Who It Names or Affects

People who are pregnant
Health care service plans and disability insurers

Terms To Know

Triggering event: An event that allows someone to join or change their health insurance plan.
Enrollment: Joining a health benefit plan.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill was vetoed by the governor, so it is not currently law.
It does not specify costs or who pays for these changes.

Bill History

2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Veto sustained.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Stricken from file.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Vetoed by the Governor.
2025-09-17 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-10 California Legislative Information
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2827.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 3072.) Ordered to the Senate.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-16 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 15).
2025-07-03 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-09 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1464.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1193.) (May 23).
2025-05-16 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-05-12 California Legislative Information
May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-05-02 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 12.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 868.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 23.
2025-04-07 California Legislative Information
April 30 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-04-04 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 30.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-02-04 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.
2025-02-03 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 257, Wahab.
PARENT Act.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of disability insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or disability insurer to allow an individual to enroll in or change their health benefit plan as a result of a specified triggering event.
This bill, the PARENT Act, would make pregnancy a triggering event for purposes of enrollment or changing a health benefit plan. Because a willful violation of this provision by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF